Editor: There's no rule on whether to use contractions

There isn’t a hard-and-fast rule on whether to use contractions in your dialogue.

However, there is plenty of guidance available, such as a recent post from editor Louise Harnby.

Harnby shares several examples of writing from across eras to illustrate the difference in tone that your decision can make, as well as three ways to help you evaluate whether you’ve made the right choice in your own writing.